Electric igniter.



PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

H. N. MOTSINGER. ELECTRIC IGNITBR. APPLICATION FILED MAY31, 1904,

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H. N. MOTSINGER. ELECTRIC IGNITER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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Engine Frame Srmrk lugs 'A OM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. DEVICE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

PORATI ON OF INDIANA.

PENDLETON, INDIANA, A COR:

ELECTRIC IGNITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed May 31, 1904. Serial No. 210,485-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER N. MoTsINeER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pendleton, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Igniters, of which the following is a specification.

The' object of my invention is to produce a device for automatically controlling the terminals in an igniting system for gas-en'- gines and toprovide means by which the time of action may be externally and manually retarded or advanced without disturbing the adjustment of the governor.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan of a mechanism embodying my invention, together with a diagram of I the wiring; Fig. 2, a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3, a section of Fig. 2 immediately beneath the plate 30 Fig. 4, a section of Fig. 2 immediately above arm 16 Fig. 5, a plan of a modified form for use in connection with a single-induction spark-coil for multiple cylinders, together with a diagram of the wiring; Fig. 6, a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 an under plan sliowing a means for manually advancing or retarding the time of terminal action.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a suitable inclosing casing having a central bearing 11 within which is journaled a short shaft-section 12, to which a driving-shaft may be attached. Secured to the inner end ofshaft 12 is a pin-13, having a head provided with a transverse opening 14. The head of shaft 12 is slightly enlarged, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and this head carries a pair of pins 15 15, which lie parallel with the axis of the shaftsection and are diametrically opposed. Pivoted upon each pin 15 is a governor-arm 16, each of which is provided with an extension 17, to which is attached a small governorweight 18. A spring 19 extends through the transverse opening 14 and has its ends attached ,to governor weights. Each governor-arm isprovided with a slanting slot 20, adapted to receive a in 21, projecting downward from the un er face of a plate 22, sleeved upon the pin 13. Plate 22 is provided at one side with an extended arm .23,

say, ten or fifteen degrees.

from which arises a pin 24. Opposite arm 23 the upper side of plate 22 is provided with a pin 25, upon which is pivoted a contact-arm 26, said contact-arm being provided with an arc-shaped slot 27, through which the pin 13 passes freely. Contact-arm 26 is provided with a pin 28, which lies adjacent pin 24 of plate 22, and these two pins are connected by a spring 29, which tends normally to hold the outer end of contact-arm 26 radially extended from the center of pin 13. Arranged above the contact-arm 26 is a plate 30,-provided with an opening adapted to receive pin 25, said plate being provided with a perforation through which the pin 13 passes and having a portion cut away, as at 32, to permit freedom of movement of-pin 28 about pin as an axis. Projecting into the path of movement of theend of contact-arm 26 are contact-points 33, as many as may be desired, said contact-points being insulated from the contact-arm 26 in any desired manner. In the drawings these points 33 are shown as carried by insulating-plugs inserted in the main casing 10.

Where a single induction-coil is to be used with a multicylinder-engine, I use the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The construction already described is the same, except that the pin 13 is insulated from the shaft 12, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6, and the following parts are added: A terminal arm 35 is secured to the upper end of pin 13 and is projected radially toward the wall of casing 10 and provided at its outer end with an we tended arc-shaped portion 36, which covers, This extension 36 is adapted to communicate the high-tension current successively to a series of terminals 37, which are carried by insulated sup' ports 38, mounted in the wall of the casing, I

as clearly shown in- Figs. 5 and 6. In either form the casing 10 will be provided with a suitable cover, the cover 39 of the second form (that shown in Figs. 5 and 6) being provided with a central pin 40, adapted to contact with the head of pin 13. Pin 40 should be insulated from the casing in the modifica-- tion shown in Fig. 6. I

Thus far the means for advancing or re tarding the spark is entirely automatic; but

i there are times when it is advisable that the nected to the other side of the sparking-cir operator beable to manually advance or retard the spark without, however, affecting the adjustment or operation of the automatic means, and for this purpose I provide suitable means for rotating the casing upon shaft 12. In the drawings I have shown a means in which the casing is provided with a segmental gear 42, engaged by a rack-bar 43, (see Fig. 7,) connected by any suitable connections to an operating-lever or other operating means 44, the arrangement being such that by shifting the rack-bar 43 the casing 10 may itself be angularly shifted through a desired angle about the axis of rotation of the shaft 12.

In operation, referrin especially to Figs. 1 and 2, suppose each of t e terminals 33 to be connected with one primary terminal of one spark-coil,-while shaft 12' (casing 10) is con-' .cuit in the usual manner, as indicated in Fig. 1. When shaft 12 is rotated, arm 26 will be brought successively into contact with the terminals 33, and because of the length of said arm the arm will be held at its outer end by each terminal, while the pivot 25 thereof will continue in regular motion. Asa consequence the arm 26 is swung upon the pivot 25, as shown in Fig. 1, while the end thereof is held in contact with the-terminal 33. When pin 25 has been carried around a sufficient distance, however, the terminal 33 no longer forms an obstruction to the arm 26, and the spring 29 thereupon operates to bring the arm 26 quickly away from the terminal. As the speed of shaft 12 increases the governor, members 16 swing u on their pivots and through the incline slots act upon the pins '21 of plate 22, and this causes thev plate- 22, together with the arm 26, carried thereby, to swing around pin 13 as an axis in the direction of rotation of shaft 12, thus advancing the "time of contact of arm-26 with the terminal 33. In the construction shown in Figsf5 and 6 the arm 26 is placed in the primary circuit, while the arm 35 36 is in the secondary circuit", the arrangement being 'such that the portion 36 comes in close proximity to one of the-terminals 37 at the same time that arm 26 contacts with one of the terminals 33, the portion 36 of the arm 35 being made of the lengths shown in order to allow for the re uired amount of advancing or retracting o shaft 12.

With the construction described and any given position of the governor members the spark will take place at a given point in the stroke of each pistons If the o erator,'l1owever, desires a different time o spark at the same speed, he has merely to shift the rackbar 42, and thus advance or retract the casing 10, whereuponthe desired result is obtained.

the arm 26 with relation to the.

I claim as my invention 1. Inan electric igniter, the combination of, a casing carrying one or more terminals projecting beyond the path of movement of a contact-arm, a shaft journaled in said casing, a plate rotatably mounted on'the shaft, the said contact-arm-pivoted upon said plate eccentrically with relation to the shaft and of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically to the axis of rotation and extendin substantially radially, and the other of said ter- 'minals projecting into the path of movement of the radially-projecting terminal between its end and its ivotal point, and means for yieldingly holding said pivoted terminal in normal position with relation to its carrier.

3. In an electric igniter, the combination I of, a casing carrying one or more terminals, a shaft j ournaled therein, a normally radially extending contact-arm ivotall mounted upon said shaft eccentrlcally t ereto and adapted to cooperate with the casing terminals, and means for yieldingly holding said contact-arm in normal position.

' 4.. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a casing carrying one ormore terminals, a shaft journaled in said casing, a plate rotatably mounted on the shaft, a contact-arm pivoted upon said plate eccentrically'with re' lation to the shaft-and extending substantially radially to engage the terminahyielding means for holding said arm in normal position, speed-controlled means carried by the shaft, connections between said speed-con- ,trolled means and said plate whereby the plate will be angularly shifted by movement of the speed-controlled means, and means for shifting the casing angularly upon the shaft. 5. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a pair of members one rotatable with refoo lation to the other and the said other normally fixed, a pair of contact-terminals one carried by each of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation and projecting substantially radially, and the other extended into the path of movement of the pivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yiel dingly holding said pivoted terminals in normal position with relation to its carrier, and means for angularly adjusting the normally fixed member with relation to the rotating member.

I .6. In an electric igniter, the combination "of, a pair of members one rotatable with relation to the other, a pair of contact-termilation to the other and the other normally fixed, a pair of contact-terminals one carried by each of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation and extending substantially radially, and the other extended into the path of movement of thepivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yieldingly holding said pivoted ter- 'minal in normal position with relation to its carrier, speed-controlled means operated by the rotatable member for angularly shifting the terminal carried by said rotatable member, and means for angularly adjusting the normally fixed member and its terminal.

8. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a casing carrying one or more terminals, a Y

shaft journaled therein, a plate rotatably mounted on the'shaft,a substantially radial contact-arm pivoted upon said plate eccentrically with relation to the shaft and radially extending therefrom, yielding means for holding said arm in normal position and capable of permitting movement of the arm in either direction, and apair of governorarms eccentrically pivoted upon the shaft and each having an inclined slot engaging a portion of said plate whereby said governor members will operate to shift the plate angularly upon the shaft.

9. In an electric igniter, the combination pair of members one rotatable with relation to the other, a pair of contact-terminals one carried by each of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axls of rotation and extending substantially radially, and the other of said members projected into. the path of movement of the pivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yieldingly holding said pivoted terminal in normal position with relation to its carrier, and a second pair of contact-termmals car-v ried by each of said members, said second pair being insulated from the first pair.

10. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a pair of members one rotatable with relation to the other and the said other normally fixed, a pair of contact-terminals one carried by each of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation and extending substantially radially, and the other of said members projected into the path of movement of the pivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yieldingly holding said pivoted terminals in normal position with relation to its carrier, speed-controlled meansoperated by the rotatable member for shifting one of the contactterminals angularly, and a second pair of contact-terminals carried by said members and insulated from the first pair of contact-terminals.

11. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a pair of members one rotatable with re lation to the other, a air of contact-terminals one carried by eac of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation and extending substantially radially, and the other of said members projected into the path of movement of the pivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yieldingly holding said pivoted terminal in normal position with relation to its carrier, speed-controlled means operated by the ro tatable member for shifting one of the contact-terminals angularly, and a second pair of contact-terminals carried by said members and insulated from the first pair of contactterminals.

12. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a pair of members one rotatable with relation to the other and the other-normally fixed, a pair of contact-terminals one carried by each of said members and one of said terminals being pivoted eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation and extending substantially radially, and the other of said members projected into the path of movement of the pivoted member between its end and its pivotal point, means for yieldingly holding said pivoted terminal in normal position with relation to its carrier, speed-com trolled means 0 erated by the rotatable member, means or angularly adjusting the normally fixed member and its terminal, and a second pair of contact-terminals carried by said members and insulated from the first pair of contact-terminals.

13. In an electric igniter, the combination of, a casing carrying two sets of one or more terminals, a shaft. journaled therein, a plate rotatably mounted on the shaft, a radiallyextending contactarm pivoted upon said plate eccentrically with relation to the shaft and adapted to cooperate with one set of casing terminals, yielding means for holding said arm in normal position and permitting movement of the arm in either direction, a pair of governor-arms eccentrically pivoted upon the shaft and each having an lnclined 4 v e1o,eee

slot engaging aportion of said plate whereby In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my said overnor members Will operate to shift hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this the p ate angularly upon the shaft, and a sec- 21st day of May, A. D. 1904.

. 0nd contact-arm carried by the shaft in posi- HOMER N. MOTSINGER. [L. s.] tion to cooperate with the other set of casing- Witnesses: terminals and insulated from the pivoted ARTHUR M. H001),

contact-arm. JAMES A.\WALSH. 

